Interview

21-12 OHA must set long term strategy

Interview Date : 2011-12-21

Interview By: www.timesofoman.com

Description :

Oman Hockey Association (OHA) should formulise a comprehensive long term strategy to develop the sport in Oman, according to Dato Tayyab Ikram, coaching and high performance director at International Hockey Federation (FIH).

Speaking to Times Sport yesterday soon after arriving in Muscat for the High Performance Coaching Course commencing today at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex (SQSC) in Bausher, Ikram said a six year programme could help the country prosper further in the sport.

“I think OHA should go for a strategic development programme for six years. We should include quality participation. They (OHA) should target about 20 teams in the coming three years in junior level which will help them in finding a pool of 100 players for the U-16 and U18 category.

Within two years you should shortlist them to develop a strong junior side which will ultimately transform into a national side one day,” Ikram explained.

The national team, however, is in disarray for the last few months without a head coach but Ikram urged OHA to give a long-term timeline to the future coach.

“Oman given the limited resources they have they were trying to opt for ad-hoc appointments. I think who ever the coach comes he has to set a six year time and the target is not really coaching the national team but it is the overall package of development,” he said.

“It is quite strange thing to me that we are always talking about performance of national team. To me the performance of national team is one segment in the overall development of hockey,” he said.

OHA, according to Ikram who won the FIH President Award in 2002, should search for the real problem and find quick solutions to it.

“Of course, national team is an integral part of the sport. If the team is performing well it can bring glamour to the sport and it can help development of the sport itself. But it is not the only criteria to look at. I think we have to see really search the real problem why we are not there with the development of the game,” he pointed out.

OHA should also have a coaching education system and should set 2013 to mould Level 3 coaches in Oman. “FIH can be a very good partner in this process if they have this vision we can give all help including expertise in this regard to implement this program,” he said.

Heaping praise on the recently increased His Majesty Cup rewards, Ikram said, clubs should properly channelize the money to structure the sport. Last month, Ahli-Sidab won whopping RO45,000 prize money when they won the HM Cup against Al Nasr who got a cash prize of RO27,000. Oman Club who came third received RO15,000.

“I think this is very healthy thing. I am happy to know about that at the same time it can be channelled in a way that you use this incentive to structure your sport,” he said.

The U-16, U-18 tournaments, according to Ikram, should be made a mandatory for all Clubs to qualify for the HM Cup. “You can ask those clubs that by 2014, you will not be able to participate in HM Cup if you do not have participation in U-16, U-18 teams. You need to make it a compulsory participation in order to play HM Cup. I think you will encourage having junior teams,” he said.

The High Performance course that Ikram is conducting will have 25 participants from various clubs in the country.

“If Oman has any project and I think within this program of high performance there are projects which Oman can choose and participate. So we are ready there to help,” he added.
The course will conclude on December 24.